Hearing someone’s personal story can be a powerful means of inspiration. In a recent blog post, we shared some of what Pam experienced as she transitioned from receiving the support of a Firefly Sisterhood Guide to becoming one herself. We’d like to introduce you to another Firefly participant who has experienced the dual roles of both peer mentor and mentee. As you’ll see, both women share similar reasons for returning to Firefly to embrace the opportunity to become a Guide.
Just a month after her 50th birthday, Julie was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. She was fortunate to have valuable support from family, friends, and colleagues as she began to navigate the turbulent waters of breast cancer; however, she didn’t know anyone personally who had experienced the disease. Julie longed to connect with someone who had walked a similar path. She’d heard about Firefly from a friend of a friend and hoped our program would provide her with the unique support she desired.
Jenny Cook, our program manager, was able to match Julie with two Guides – one who’d had a similar diagnosis and another who was closer in location to Julie. Both matches proved to be meaningful and very valuable for Julie as she moved through the stages of breast cancer survivorship. Almost immediately, she told herself that one day, when she’d reached the proverbial ‘other side’, she would do something to help other women not to feel so alone following a diagnosis, just as her Guides were able to do for her.
Wanting to make sure she was “in a good place,” Julie waited until she felt strong enough physically and emotionally to return to Firefly Sisterhood in a new role. “For me, I feel like it’s a privilege,” Julie explains of her decision to become a Guide. “Because I’ve made it through, I feel like it’s a responsibility to help other women. I just do.” Similar to Pam’s reasoning, Julie appreciates that while her experience with breast cancer was challenging, she can now use it in a positive way and “something good has come out of it.”
Thank you, Julie, for helping to light the way for women in our community facing a breast cancer diagnosis!
This Is Living With Cancer